Counting of SJB preference votes in the Matale Electoral District Challenged

The writ petition filed by former Deputy Minister Ranjith Aluwihare seeking an order to re-count the preferential votes secured by the Samagi Jana Balawegaya candidates who contested the last General Election from Matale district was today fixed for support by the Court of Appeal. The Court of Appeal fixed the petition for support on August 6. According to the General Election results held on August 5, 2020, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya party was able to secure one parliamentary seat. Accordingly, Rohini Kumari Kaviratne was elected as a Member of Parliament by securing the highest preferential votes from Samagi Jana Balawegaya. The petitioner stated that several irregularities had occurred when counting preferential votes at Laggala and Dambulla counting centres. He further alleged that counting agents of Samagi Jana Balawegaya had been sent out from the counting centres resulting in immense prejudice to the petitioner.   The petitioner named Matale District Returning Officer, Assistant Commissioner of Elections (Matale District), Election Commission Chairman and its members, Rohini Kumari Kaviratne, Wasantha Aluwihare, U.R. Dayanandasiri, Maithree Dowson, Suppaiah Yogaraja, Ibrahim Mohammed, Tissa Bandara Herath and SJB General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara as respondents in the petition.